Lawn mower



Oct. 26, 1943. R, D cLEMsoN LAWN MOWER Filed March 5l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 oct. 26, 1943. R' D. CLEMSQN 2,3325892 LAWN MOWER Filed March 3l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 `Patented oct. 26, 1943 2,332,892

f UNITED ISTATES PATENT OFFICE- ,A i LAWN MOWER vIRichardID.Clemson, Middletown,"N`. Y., assignor to Clemson Bros., Inc`.,' Middletown, N. Y., a'l

corporation of New York Application Mai-ch s1, 194i, serial N6. 386,029

" 4 claims. tcl. sti-249i v i This `invention relates tolawn mowers, and* ally mounted ,on the same'axis, by means of particularly `to the relationships between the esscrews 3 threaded into the Wheel A`studs l` `is sential components .of a` lawn mower, i. e., the another frame 6 on whichis mounted the ground` wheels, the handle, the., cutting reel and fixed rollerl B and the studs I for the handle l2. Carblade and the ground roller. l ried on andforming a part of the reel frame 4 '1s Itis one object of my invention to make the tnejtie-tube lLWhich attaches the two l'ram'es relationships between the handlewheels, ground on `the opposite "sides ot' the mower.` Also Carroller, anda framexed inthe assembly so that I'led 0n the frame 4 :is the bedlmife i6. a predetermined relationship between these partsv The ground roller B instead `0f being a Conis maintained throughout a range of adjustments` f6, ventional solid wooden roller with stud shafts with-my invention.

of the cutting height i projecting from theo-ends to act as bearings may It is another object of my invention to keep the advantageously be 'Speoially y Constructed in the direction `of forceA applied `through the handle manner shown in thef drawngslln this `consueh that,` the line 0f direction will intersect the` struction. the llOllIld rWoden 101161 C45 iS made ground `either. substantiallyat the point of con- 1?"5'1 of `two semi-cylindrical portions` routed out to tact of the wheels` with the ground or behind this receive the Shaft 4l ond` the `hearings 43, 48

point of Contact, i g t which bearings in turn receive the shaft lll which ,1t is `gmgther, Objegt of my invention that the is rigidly mounted between the sidesof the frame Weight di$tbuti0n f the lawn mower will be` i andwhich hascorresponding bearing surfaces substantially undisturbed by changes in the 0n Whichthe bearings 0f the IiOllel IOtate. height of the handle` or the cutting height of the Afterthe shaft. bearings. andwood parts of machine.` t n the roller are assembled, the lentireroller Ais Although, inthis Specification and the accomcovered with rubberV` and vulcanizedithereby pgnying drawings, 1 hayehown and describeda i forming aA rubber Wearing surface and securely preferred embodiment of my invention` and `Vari- 215i* holdingfth@ Wooden parts together and the'bool- Y ous modifications thereof and have .suggested ings in Place-i Since ther-bearings are ritireiy various a1ternatives,' these are not intended to enclosed they' are free from th offCtS of dirt, be 'exhaustive no1-,limiting of the invention, but' and Wear will not occur as in the ordinary ground on th contrary are given for the purpose (j f i1` A roller construction. Since the bearing shaft 4l iustrating the invention and instructing @therein 30l is rigid it Cari be used as e ne rod between'. the

the principlesthereo andthe best vmanner of tWO `Sides Otho frame.b6ing Securely, bolted to' utilizing the invention infpracticaluse, in order both Sides ofthe frameiiand n InllCh Inoie Stahl@ thatothers may, be enabiedto modify and apply, and rigid Structure results than in the ordinary it in mjmemus forms each Smay be best sutedj ground roller construction. While veryadvanto the conditions `and requirements of any par.A 351 tageous it is to be understood that this roller con,

ticulajr-use.` v

Inthedrawings: `1 j i 1s not essential to mil-invention. V Fig; 1 is atop plan View of a l'awnmower with The reelv is mounted inthe flalne'4in the struction, although very advantageous 4aruslrigid,

thecentralfporton and partof the handle broken `beatings I3. Each drive goal" 22 engages the'v i away constructed in'jaccordarlce' with` my in 1401- shaft 45 of the reel 20 through a built-in overyentiony A i' i running clutch 23. Thempinions 22 meshwith Fig. 2 is an'enlarged View. of a section .through and aflerdlivon by the ring gears `Ztlwhich arev the line 2;2 of Flggl."

located onfthe inside of the ground wheelsL l; i

Fig. 3 Visa `fragmeritary sectional view taken on 4,

'5" Mlmay be secured in the reel, fbythe sheet metetl `As shownv in the drawings the-ny knife blauest Fig; 4" is avieW in cross section taken on line Spiders 42 leach" formedwitheals ndaptedto 44 of Fig. andshowing'only one'end 'of the t-into" corresponding holesfprovded'n the 'ily mower; andA g `j`1 j knives 40 and to be secured therein by upsetting MFg. 51s an'V enlarged viewpartly`in"elevation 01 Spot Welding. eto- The `Spiders themselves and'partly in cross section taken on une s-sof 50 may beV held t0 the shaft 45 and any resonance Fig; 1, of a part of the mower made in accordance in them iS `'llo'ctdonod by` diCaSting La" Colla 45 Referringrst to`Flg.`1, I have shownaxnmwtgf the spiders so as to holdit in place onthe shaft. having ground wheels l, mounted onwhem studs Although I have shownlthis novel construction in :..Whichform apartofthe redframe 47, p1v0t.. ISIS the drawings, vandfits use is `very advantagecms,y

ontofthe vshaft in engagement also With `each of ground roller rotatably mounted on said handle connecting arms, and a handle connected to said arms, in which mower the side frames are rigidly connected to each other by a cross bar fixed thereto in predetermined relation, said cross bars turbing or releasing their xed relation, may be rotated as a unit about the axis of the wheels and adjusted angularly with relation to said arms, and the reel is positioned, when the ground roll and wheels are on level ground, with its axis at an angle to the vertical about the axis of the wheels such that, throughout the range of normal adjustment of the handle connecting arms to vary the height of cut, the reel axis is moved more vertically than horizontally.

3. A mower of the type having side frames, wheels rotatably mounted on` the side frames, a rotary reel and `becl knife mounted in accurate alignment and shearing relation between the side frames, handle connecting arms connected to said side frames and pivotally adjustable thereon, a ground roller rotatably mounted on said handle connecting arms, and a handle connected to said arms, in which mower the side frames are rigidly connected to each other by a cross bar fixed thereto in predetermined relation, said cross bars maintaining said relation independently of said handle connecting arms and of their angular adjustment, whereby the side frames, together with the cross bar, reel and bed knife, without disturbing or releasing their fixed relation, may be rotated as a unit about the axis ofthe wheels and adjusted angularly with relation to said arms, a cam shaft is mounted in the side frames with a cam at each end thereof engaging one of the handle connecting arms for adjusting the height of cut by rotating the side frames relative to said arms, and a manually operated lock holds the cam shaft in adjusted position.

4. A lawn mower which comprises ground wheels, a ground roller, a iixed rigid frame connecting the ground wheels with the roller, and 4with a handle pivotally mounted on said frame,

a second frame pivoted with respect to the first about the axis of the ground Wheels and carrying a bed knife and a cutting reel, said second frame having a circular 01T center cam `which interts with a fork in the rst frame, an adjusting handle attached to said cam for turning the cam, and a locking screw engaging said cam assembly to prevent its turning when the screw is tightened, the cam and fork being arranged with respect to the wheel axis so that turning the cam changes therelative position of the two frames` and Varies the height of cut.

RICHARD D. CLEMsoN. 

